I became a Samaritan having, like so many others, used the service in my past.
As all volunteers will tell you endlessly, Samaritans training is the absolute best there is
I found it amazing that in my darkest loneliest moments there was someone at the end of the phone who was prepared to just listen
Once I’d reached a point where I was happy in life and in control of my emotions, I wanted to give back to others who needed it.
I’ve been a Samaritan for just over 2 years now.
As all volunteers will tell you endlessly, Samaritans training is the absolute best there is.
For me personally, the training made a real impact. I came into it, thinking that my life experience was such that I wouldn’t really learn anything new. But how wrong I was. The training really challenges you to think differently. And that’s made such a difference to every aspect of my life. Not just in my role as a Samaritan.
The friendships I forged along the way have also proved invaluable. In every session there’s so much warmth. People are open and welcoming and incredibly supportive. When I first started the training, I was severely overweight. But the support of those around me inspired to get healthy and shed the pounds. The good news is that over the last two years, I have managed to lose six stone! Without my peers, I seriously don’t think I would have achieved it.
Having been so impressed with the training, I wanted to volunteer extra hours to the training team, under the tutelage of my amazingly talented predecessor, Simon Land.
At Samaritans we only hold branch positions for three years so that others can have a go. When Simon stepped down, I took up the reins from him. I feel immensely privileged to be responsible for providing this life-changing training to new volunteers. It’s so rewarding to see new recruits growing and embracing the Samaritans culture.
The core training for Samaritans will always remain the same. We teach people not to judge but how to listen. However, the way we deliver it is changing to adapt to people’s evolving lifestyles. The new course has 50% less face to face sessions with many of the elements moving on-line. Hopefully this will mean that people can train in less time, and more flexibly, and we can get more Samaritans on board to help more people, quicker.
Our objective at this Branch is to deliver a 24/7 contribution to the Samaritans national service. We are fast achieving this, with over 130 volunteers at the Yeovil Branch already. But we will always need more.
If you would like to find out more about becoming a Samaritan, why don’t you come along to one of our monthly open evenings? They take place on the first Tuesday of every month at 7pm at our new centre, Morley House, 26 West Hendford. There’s no need to pre-book, just turn up and you’ll be warmly welcomed with a cup of tea and answers to any questions you may have, or email us on [email protected]